OPTICAL DETECTION OF PHOTOACOUSTIC PULSES IN THIN SILICON WAFERS.

The propagation of photoacoustic pulses in thin silicon wafers is studied by a probe-beam deflection method. A comparison with transducer measurements is made, which suggests the existence of a nonpropagating plate mode. A signal-to-noise analysis is carried out, and the sensitivity of this detection scheme is analyzed for the case of high-frequency broad-band detection.